Pandemics of the past - Will COVID-19 ever end? How other pandemics started. And ended.
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9 OPINION | Historic preservation 15 FOOD | French onion soup 16 MUSIC | Stuart Smith
FREE January 13-19, 2022 • Vol. 47, No. 26
Pandemics
of the past
Will COVID-19
ever end?
How other pandemics
started. And ended.
11 PUBLIC HEALTH HISTORY | Jessica Roy
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 1
2 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022
NEWS
Back to school with omicron
Students return to school amid a major COVID surge
EDUCATION | Kenneth Lowe
As students returned to school Jan. 10 after the at school. District 186 schools are providing the
holiday break, Sangamon County reported the saliva-based tests students on a weekly basis. The
highest numbers of COVID-19 cases it has Illinois Department of Public Health’s contact
seen at any previous point in the pandemic, tracers list school as about 43% of all locations
with Springfield Memorial Hospital sounding of likely infection, by far the plurality. Hospitals
the alarm on the number of asymptomatic account for 6% of contact tracing references,
cases. restaurants and bars 5%.
The disease’s spread has ramped up in the Students have also not been vaccinated to
two weeks students were on break. Sangamon nearly the rate older cohorts have in Sangamon
County’s seven-day average of daily COVID County. More than 91% of senior citizens
cases was 190 on Dec. 23. As of Jan. 9, the have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19,
county’s seven-day average was 749, higher ranking it fourth among Illinois’ 102 counties
by far than at any point during the entire for that age group, according to data from
pandemic. The surge that peaked in November the Illinois Department of Public Health. All
2020 had seven-day averages of around 240 younger cohorts are significantly less vaccinated,
cases. District 186 students returned to school Jan. 10, despite COVID cases climbing to record numbers in Sangamon with 64.9% of 18-64-year-olds fully vaccinated,
Amid that kind of surge, Samantha Fickas, County during the winter break. 51% of the county’s 12-17-year-olds, and only
mother of a seventh grader at Lincoln Magnet 18.7% of Sangamon County’s 5-11-year-olds.
School, said she wishes there were a remote to class, Miller said he’s expressed concerns that Miller cited the 20 staff members listed as It’s a topic that’s spurred controversy all
option. the board is not responding to the realities of isolating during the first week of January, saying over the country, and in Illinois. Students of
“Even though (my daughter) didn’t do very the pandemic in its messaging. he’s concerned the unchecked spread of the Chicago Public Schools remained at home
good with remote, it’s putting us in too much “We set a tone at the end of the last board COVID’s highly transmissible omicron variant Jan. 10 with no instruction following four
danger, her coming back and cases rising way meeting that we were done talking about may jeopardize schools’ ability to stay open. canceled school days after a vote by the
too rapidly, because no one wants to listen and COVID, that we’re getting back to the things “From where we’re sitting, I don’t see it as a Chicago Teachers Union to go remote in light
stay home and take precautions,” Fickas said we used to do, and I just feel like that was the surefire thing that we’re going to be able to do of high rates of COVID spread. In response,
Monday as she waited to pick her daughter wrong tone to set,” Miller said. “I think people in-person learning like we’ve been,” Miller said, CPS locked teachers out of the school’s online
up from the first day back at school. “It would are just really concerned about the positive referring to the fact schools still plan to hold portal. Negotiations between the two entities
definitely help, for sure, to have a remote number of cases, not only with our staff but extracurricular activities such as band concerts had reached a resolution by Monday evening,
option.” in our community, and the likelihood we can and indoor sports. “I think we’re going to have with school scheduled to resume Jan. 12. Asked
Currently, there is no plan in place at the keep in-person learning going. I’ve always felt a rough go of it.” about any concerns with District 186’s start to
state or local level to offer a remote option. we had the tools to do it, but I want it to be At the same board meeting, superintendent the semester, Springfield Education Association
School District 186 board member Micah sustainable. Nobody wants to go to school only Jennifer Gill spoke of the possibility schools president Angie Meneghetti declined to
Miller spoke up about his concerns with to be told they have to be in quarantine.” could respond to high rates of infection or comment.
in-person instruction at the board’s Jan. 4 Miller’s son tested positive for COVID isolation among staff at school by making use For now, Mondays once again mean
meeting. Speaking with Illinois Times the following the last week of the previous semester, of an “adaptive pause,” essentially shutting a Springfield parents are getting up early, packing
following week as students prepared to return causing his family to isolate over the holidays. school down or going to remote learning for lunches and picking kids up after the last bell,
a discrete period of time while waiting for no matter what the realities of the pandemic
cases to flatten out, and said schools would look like. Courtney Rowden, mother of a sixth-
coordinate with the Sangamon County grade student at Lincoln Magnet School and
Editor’s note Department of Public Health on local a freshman at Springfield High School, said
health data. However, Department of Public she would be more comfortable with a hybrid
Few take the threat of domestic terrorism as seriously as U.S. Sen Richard Durbin of Springfield, Health director Gail O’Neill said the health learning arrangement to lessen the number
who first held a hearing on the subject in 2012. This week, following the anniversary of the Jan. 6 department has no concrete metrics in place for of students in school but still provide for the
Capitol insurrection, Durbin delivered the opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, what would constitute an adaptive pause. needs of students who need to learn in-person.
which he chairs, as it considered his bill to combat terrorism by providing state and local law “We understand an adaptive pause is not The return to school, she said, has been nerve-
enforcement more information and resources. “The insurrection should be a wake-up call,” he what we want to see. We believe school is a wracking, especially after her sixth-grader
said. “A reminder that America is still confronted with the age-old menace that has taken on new safe environment for students with masks on already came down with COVID in November.
life in the 21st century: terror from white supremacists, militia members and other extremists at all times,” O’Neill said. “If schools have “I like that they’re back in school for the
who use violence to further their twisted agendas. Whether the boosters of the ‘Big Lie’ know it or determined that they can’t be safe, we will agree socialization, however, it’s scary,” she said. “I
not, they are playing with fire.” By rationalizing the assault on the Capitol, “they are normalizing with their decision,” she said, noting that she don’t want to sequester them and make them
the use of violence to achieve political goals.” Now local elections officials are threatened, there and superintendent Gill speak on a weekly basis depressed, but overall, I think everybody is
are violent outbursts on airplanes and at school board meetings, and increasing violence toward about pandemic conditions. doing what they can.”
police. “No more cowering before any mob,” Durbin said. “Our democracy is in the crosshairs of O’Neill also said the health department
domestic terrorism. It’s time to take a stand.” –Fletcher Farrar, editor believes COVID cases that have been detected Kenneth Lowe is a staff writer for Illinois Times.
at school have not necessarily been contracted He can be reached at klowe@illinoistimes.com.
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 3
NEWS
UIS plans downtown campus
Parking ramp to be demolished, but downtown hotel project not happening
REDEVELOPMENT | Scott Reeder
A once-vaunted downtown hotel project that
COVID fatigue
the Springfield City Council voted to subsidize
to the tune of $7.65 million is dead.
in cap city
The $56 million project was to be built in CAP CITY | Karen Ackerman Witter
the 300 block of Washington Street, across
from the Amtrak station, where a dilapidated COVID vaccines are readily available;
parking garage now stands. In 2019, the however, a significant percentage of people
council voted to provide tax increment refuse to get vaccinated. Many of us enjoyed
financing dollars to the developer, DK holidays with family; a year ago we hunkered
Collection SPI, once it had the remainder of down anxiously awaiting the vaccine.
its financing approved. Now COVID cases are surging. On Jan.
“The agreement has expired and their 5 Sangamon County reported 3,732 new
financing was never put in place,” Mayor Jim positive cases over seven days, the highest
Langfelder told Illinois Times on Jan. 11. But number during the pandemic, and two days
he said the city is proceeding with plans to later 1,295 new cases.
demolish the parking ramp on that block. The omicron variant is highly
The mayor said he is open to listening if the transmissible and spreading fast. But it is less
developer returns and resubmits a proposal. virulent than the delta variant and has far less
But Ward 7 Alderman Joe McMenamin impact on the lungs. Monoclonal antibody
was more blunt: “It’s just dead.” treatment is effective in reducing symptoms
McMenamin, who cast the lone vote and hospitalizations, but Regeneron, which
against the city providing the subsidy, said he has been administered here, apparently isn’t
never believed the developer would be able effective against the omicron variant. A
to get sufficient private financing to build different brand of monoclonal antibodies has
the hotel. Under the TIF ordinance, the proven effective against omicron; however,
city would have reimbursed the developer The city has gotten bids to demolish the dilapidated parking garage at Fourth and Washington streets. While that version is in short supply. A positive
$450,000 for land acquisition if private plans for a new hotel are off the table, UIS has expressed interest in a downtown campus. PHOTO BY STACIE LEWIS COVID test doesn’t identify whether an
construction financing were secured and then individual has the delta or omicron variant,
would have paid the balance over as many as complicating treatment strategies. Testing
eight years. helps control the spread, but at-home test
According to documents submitted to that. We did put it out for bid and plan on development and innovation for UIS, said kits are in short supply and testing sites are
the city by DK Collection SPI, the building bringing it down this year,” he said. the university is pondering three buildings overwhelmed with demand.
named TownePlace Suites would have included An architect and engineer inspected the downtown. He confirmed one of the buildings Parents of young children are stressed
95 hotel rooms and 17 apartments. structure and determined that it could not is 401 E. Washington, owned by the Illinois to the max. School administrators are in a
Chicago lawyer Craig Jeffery, who be rehabilitated. Based on bids the city has Sherriff’s Association. But he said two other thankless position, yet doing the best they
represents the developer, did not immediately received to destroy the structure, demolition buildings, which he declined to identify, are can. Workplaces are disrupted as many
respond to a request for comment from Illinois will likely cost taxpayers about $780,000, also finalists for the project. employees are out sick. Vaccines and masks
Times. Langfelder said. Sommer said he is hopeful that Gov. JB are public health issues but have become
“I think that the city has given up on But a parking garage could rise again on Pritzker will announce funding for the project political.
the idea with that particular developer,” that site, particularly if UIS moves ahead with in February or March and then the university Local medical providers are united in
McMenamin said. “But ultimately, the city its plans to build downtown. can move forward with purchasing a property. working to protect the community. HSHS
would like to find a new plan to take down “At this point in time, it looks like we The price tag for the downtown campus is $15 Illinois, Memorial Health, SIU Medicine and
the parking garage. It’s 50% unusable because would reconstruct the ramp – possibly more million. Springfield Clinic released a joint letter to the
of structural defects. And so there has been of a modernistic one with charging stations Sommer said the downtown campus will community for the new year, acknowledging
talk since the hotel idea failed that the block and things of that nature. But time will tell on primarily be used as a business incubator. how everyone is sick and tired of COVID and
could be used for a downtown campus for that,” Langfelder said. Along with office space, it would also include being told to get vaccinated, boosted, wear a
University of Illinois Springfield. So that idea He added the university appears to laboratories and manufacturing areas where mask and avoid crowds. Nevertheless, they
was out there right before COVID hit. And continue to be interested in having a new products and innovations could be are reminding us that is what we need to do.
then when COVID came, nothing had really downtown location. developed. About three classrooms would also They are asking everyone to take one more
been talked about with the UIS downtown “(It’s not going to be on that block), but be on site and would be used by UIS students. step to protect yourself and those around you;
campus.” we’ve always offered that. I know there’s It is expected to take 18 months to two years don’t look back and think “if only.”
Langfelder said the parking garage will still interest in some buildings on Fourth Street. for the campus to be created, he said. Our health care workers deserve our
be demolished as part of efforts to redevelop One of them is catty-corner from that deepest thanks and appreciation – and our
the site. location,” Langfelder said. Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times, can cooperation. We are all in this together
“The ramp itself, we’re going to raze Bruce Sommer, director of economic be reached at sreeder@illinoistimes.com. whether we like it or not.
4 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022
Dreams of a year-round fairground
Community Foundation launches master planning process
NEXT10 | Karen Ackerman Witter
The new year is a good time to imagine new Springfield region and leaders in agriculture
possibilities and take action to achieve positive throughout Illinois.
change. The Community Foundation for the The scope of the project will include:
Land of Lincoln (CFLL) is doing just that, in • Assessing all facilities and infrastructure
partnership with the Illinois Department of on the grounds and identifying priority issues
Agriculture (IDOA), by launching a process to address.
to reimagine the Illinois State Fairgrounds. • Analyzing current and potential economic
For 10 days each year, the Illinois State Fair impact and providing recommendations for
is a beehive of activity attracting hundreds of public, private and public/private partnership
thousands of visitors. During the other 355 opportunities.
days of the year, a variety of events take place • Analyzing programmatic offerings and
at the fairgrounds, but this property on the opportunities, especially outside the timeframe
north side of Springfield is an underutilized of the State Fair.
community asset. • Assessing undeveloped and underdevel-
The Next 10 Community Visioning Plan for oped lands on the grounds to identify opportu-
Greater Springfield, released in the spring of nities for potential use.
2021, identified renovating and activating the • Providing recommendations related to
Illinois State Fairgrounds as a priority initiative. operations to ensure long-term success and
The CFLL, IDOA and numerous stakeholders The 2021 Illinois State Fair, looking out at the Coliseum on the left. Further down and to the right are the 25 Series sustainability.
believe there is substantial potential to Barns. On the far right is the Grandstand and track. COURTESY ILLINOIS DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE The north side of Springfield has been home
increase use of the fairgrounds year-round. By to the Illinois State Fair since 1894. Through
developing and implementing a comprehensive this master planning process, the intent is
plan, the goal is to make the fairgrounds fairgrounds that could be deployed here? chief of staff, said he is pleased the CFLL to develop a consensus-driven vision for the
a more significant economic, cultural and The CFLL took the first step to answer is leading this initiative and says it is often future of the Illinois state fairgrounds that
entertainment driver for the greater Springfield these questions by inviting organizations with difficult for state agencies to find funding for maximizes this unique community asset.
area and state of Illinois. expertise in comprehensive planning for state strategic planning. He looks forward to seeing Public engagement will be a key component
Covering 366 acres, the fairgrounds house fairgrounds to submit a proposal to develop what comes out of this process and cites the of the process, involving state fairgrounds
165 structures, including the Exposition a master plan for the fairgrounds. The plan significance of community recognition of the stakeholders, neighboring residents, citizens of
Building built in 1894, the Grandstand built in is intended to maximize the operation and uniqueness of the fairgrounds. “It is reasonable the greater Springfield area, members of Illinois’
1927 to replace the original 1896 structure, the facilities of the state fairgrounds and prioritize to assume that the case for additional funding agricultural community and others with a
Coliseum, Dairy Building, numerous barns, a needs and growth for the next 10 to 20 years. will be strengthened by having a master vested interest in the fairgrounds.
Multi-Purpose Arena constructed in 2000 and The National Association of Agricultural Fair plan,” said Flynn. He also said that the timing
a plethora of other facilities. The headquarters Agencies assisted in identifying firms with couldn’t be better since a new director of the Karen Ackerman Witter is a frequent contributor
for the Illinois Department of Agriculture relevant expertise. Proposals are due Jan. 17, Illinois State Fair, Rebecca Clark, was recently to Illinois Times. She grew up in Springfield
and Illinois Department of Natural Resources and a contractor will be selected by early spring. appointed. and has fond memories going to the Illinois State
are both located on the property, as well as a Ideally, the plan will be released by the time of The master planning process will involve Fair, including seeing The Who open for The
satellite office of the Illinois State Police. How the August 2022 Illinois State Fair. direct engagement with a steering committee, Association, her favorite band at the time. She
can these resources be used most effectively The CFLL is paying for the cost of the the IDOA, Illinois State Fairgrounds Advisory looks forward to seeing the results of this master
year-round? What is missing? What resources master planning process, but this is a joint Board, Illinois State Fair Foundation, elected planning process and what it will do for the future
are needed? What are others doing with public initiative with IDOA. Jeremy Flynn, IDOA officials, stakeholders and citizens in the greater of Springfield.
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 5
OPINION
NHL Blackhawk Tony Esposito Cy Young-winning pitcher Lamarr Hoyt Donald Rumsfeld
LETTERS look at how our students learn several of those profiled. Peggy
archival find #51 We welcome letters. Please include their nation’s story. Ryder was an amazing woman. I
your full name, address and telephone One of my favorite lessons know her from the Dana-Thomas
number. We edit all letters. Send them
good neighbors can still dispute: from Loewen involved his own House and was saddened to see
to editor@illinoistimes.com.
my grandma and mrs smith argued Woodrow Wilson Junior High her ill last summer, even sadder
year after year which farm owned School just an hour east of when I saw her obituary not long
the fanning-mill which rotated twixt Springfield. He railed against after.
the two places I never heard the A FEW YOU MISSED the esteem accorded his school’s Melinda Hall
ins and outs of the conflict but I see your year-end namesake while his racism, such as Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
I do know this: when the “Remembering” issue took its resegregating much of the federal
fearsome storms of `78 struck, cue from pandemic precautions government while president, went NO ALTERNATIVE
our barn east of the dairy blew and stayed close to home (Dec. mostly unexamined for decades. As the former city traffic engineer,
down there was only crawl space 30, 2021). I’ll try to fill in a Just like everyone, I hope 2022 there is no viable alternative
to get inside; I and a friend snuck few notable Illinois omissions, brings an end to the virus that to left turn lanes on both
under the precarious roof and eased especially one whose lifework keeps us down and affords your Lawrence Avenue and MacArthur
out two items, my dad’s aluminum pretty much mirrored your paper’s paper a wider view of the world Boulevard (“Heavy traffic,” Dec.
canoe and a fanning mill; an hour mission. around us. 23). Changing the sight lines for
later the settling roof would have As for stories about local Douglas Kamholz the left-turning traffic is necessary
splat us flat but now we know folks who left us in 2021, it was Springfield to allow the drivers to see the
which farm ended up with the heartening to read time and again approaching through traffic to
fanning mill, not that it had had how lifting others up shines as TRACK STAR safely turn. Currently, that sight
any use for fifty or more years their legacy. In your piece about the recently is blocked if there is a vehicle in
As for shortcomings, two come deceased Chuck Flamini it was each of the opposing left turn
2022 Jacqueline Jackson to mind from sports. Longtime mentioned that he was a track lanes. Having two through lanes
NHL Blackhawk Tony Esposito coach, but it wasn’t mentioned will provide the capacity needed
died last year. So did Cy Young- that he was a track star in his own and may reduce the late red-light
winning pitcher Lamarr Hoyt, right at Eastern Illinois University running that now occurs.
who had his best years with the where he was a record-setting However, there may be some
White Sox. sprinter in the 100-yard (now changes that could be made to
There are also two from 100-meter) dash (“A teacher at reduce some of the complaints.
politics, a pair of opposites. heart,” Dec. 30). The curb lanes could remain 11
Illinois native Donald Rumsfeld, Mike Shepherd feet wide, but the middle lanes
U.S. secretary of defense under Springfield could be reduced to 10 feet each
two presidents, died in early or all lanes reduced to 10 feet. A
summer. Sixties radical Rennie MISSING KRES minor shift in one or both of the
Davis, famed for his Illinois Kres Lipscomb was a great man centerlines may be helpful.
time around 1968 protests and who was there for my family no I studied the collision data
the Chicago Seven trial, died in matter what. He was always happy each of the 14 years that I was
February. to see you and always had a smile city traffic engineer, and the
But to me, the real blunder on his face. He will be dearly proposed turn lanes are the only
was skipping over the August missed. improvement that will address the
death of Decatur native James Sarah Berkley collision problem. Two lanes each
Loewen, author of Lies My Via illinoistimes.com direction are necessary to provide
Teacher Told Me: Everything Your the capacity needed.
American History Textbook Got AMAZING WOMAN Tyre W. Rees
Wrong, a multiple-award-winning Great stories. Sadly, I knew Springfield
6 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022
OPINION
Parties play games with quorums
POLITICS | Rich Miller
The Illinois Senate’s COVID mitigation people to town, because a group of House tour. Some basic rules really ought to be put
protocols (testing, masks and limited remote Democratic lawmakers from Lake County in place. And ditching session for campaigns
voting) didn’t anticipate a partisan attempt banded together to stop the judicial remap should be at the top of the list (Sen. Bailey
to use a record-breaking virus surge to shut bill until they got what they wanted. Some could be seen last week voting remotely while
the chamber down, but that’s what almost accommodations were eventually made, but it apparently driving his car).
happened last week. took a good long while. But what Rep. Butler and others may not
The Senate Republicans were rightfully The House Republicans later tried their own appreciate is that Democrats were furious at the
outraged that the Democratic super-majority quorum stunt to block the remap bill, but the parliamentary gamesmanship. There’s currently
geared up to jam through a redistricting bill Democrats had 62 members on hand (three no desire to hurry back to town for floor action
of several judicial circuits without so much as more than required) and the plot fizzled. if they’re just going to sit around in potentially
a proper hearing. So, they counted heads and During debate on the House’s rules change covid-infested spaces for hours on end while
determined that they just might be able to force to again allow remote voting earlier in the day, one chamber or the other attempts to secure
an adjournment without action if they stayed Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, asked that the a quorum because of a lack of Republican
off the floor, thereby denying the Democrats chamber consider imposing some conditions cooperation.
a quorum. And since the Democrats weren’t on remote participation, since some members This was an unusual case. I get it. The
planning to come back to town before petition appeared to be abusing the rule (leaving session judicial subcircuit remap bill shouldn’t have
circulation started, any delay could mean the early and voting while driving home, for been blatantly shoved through like that. It was
end of the attempted court gerrymandering. instance). Butler represents the capital city, so an abuse of authority to rush through a bill to
Two Senate Democrats had reportedly he has an interest in protecting the livelihoods put more Democrats on local courts and the
tested positive for the coronavirus after taking of the town’s businesses. Session injects a large Republicans were right to protest.
the mandated SHIELD test the evening before. amount of money into Springfield every year. But I also don’t blame the Democrats for
Another Democrat had already announced Rep. Butler is right. Some of these excuses wanting to just stay in remote committee
he’d tested positive for the virus and was are just ridiculous. Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, mode and not return to Springfield during the
experiencing mild symptoms. Yet another infamously voted remotely last year from a coming weeks while this surge blows over if this
was running late and couldn’t be there for the helicopter during a gubernatorial campaign gamesmanship is going to be a habit.
scheduled 11 o’clock start time.
A slew of others had various excuses for not
being in Springfield, including one whose staff
had tested positive and was quarantining to be
on the safe side.
The Senate’s pandemic-era remote voting
rule still requires a quorum to be physically
present at the Capitol. The Democrats needed
29 members at the Statehouse to ensure there
was an official quorum of 30. They didn’t need
all 30 because a Republican would have to
be on the floor to question the existence of a
quorum. The Democrats have 41 members, but
they couldn’t produce 29 bodies. Rank-and-
file Democrats fumed at the bungling of the
headcount and the Republican games.
So, top Democrats came up with a plan.
The member who was running late was
told to hurry up. Two members who tested
positive were asked to sit in their cars in their
Statehouse parking spots and participate from
there. Another participated from her Statehouse
office. Those three were deemed “Present” even
though they weren’t on the floor.
Voting while on the Capitol grounds but
not in the chamber does have precedent.
Former Sen. Bill Haine was very ill and couldn’t
risk infection when the chamber overrode
Bruce Rauner’s veto of the income tax hike in
2017. Haine voted from his Statehouse office
and the override motion prevailed with the bare
minimum of 36.
But it turns out there was no rush to get
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 7
OPINION
Multilevel mistakes
WEEKLY REEDER | Scott Reeder
I don’t find joy in anyone being swindled, but
I do find a bit of irony that the DeVos family,
founders of Amway, were bilked out of $100
million.
Amway is a pioneer of multilevel
marketing, a concept where participants
are expected to not only sell something but
recruit others to sell it, too. Avon, Mary Kay,
Tupperware and Herbalife are some other
well-known MLMs.
Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos
who was convicted of fraud charges Jan. 3,
sweet-talked the DeVos clan into investing
in her enterprise that falsely claimed to have
revolutionized blood testing.
The problem is the fancy blood-testing
machine she said she invented didn’t work.
And she lied to attract rich investors like the
DeVoses who had dollar signs dancing in their
eyes. When the Wall Street Journal uncovered
the deception, the company’s valuation Former Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes. CREDIT: JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
dropped from $9 billion to less than nothing.
The DeVos family may be out millions,
but things could be much worse. They could heading to the gallows. Unfortunately, in there she was, Queen Bee.
have fallen for some other scam and ended up our society too many people are taught to be When I introduced myself she gave me a
with a basement full of unused merchandise. pleasers. startled look.
That’s what happens to a lot of folks who get When she returned from her virtual After a long pause she said, “You know that
involved in multilevel marketing schemes. engagement, she was even more glum. She crystal glove Michael Jackson wore? That was
Robert Fitzgerald, of Pyramid Scheme won the door prize. And what was the door made by our company. So, men sometimes
Alert, is an expert on MLMs. prize? The opportunity to host her own use our products.”
“Think about it. Could you possibly make Touchstone Crystal party. I can see it now, me moonwalking into the
a living today from your home on your own, I looked at her and said, “Tell them, ‘No.’ newsroom wearing one crystal bejeweled glove
as an Amway distributor selling laundry It’s a scam.” and whistling “Billy Jean.”
soap or anything else like that? So, basically My wife nodded her head in agreement. At this point, I put on my reporter hat and
these detergents and other things might be And then the emails and phone calls started started asking questions. “How much money
consumed by the salespeople themselves. coming in from someone higher up the did you make last year doing this?” Queen Bee
That’s right. You can’t make a living.” Touchstone Crystal food chain. Let’s call her sputtered and said, “Well, I’m just not certain.”
According to the Federal Trade Queen Bee. How dependent is your income on
Commission, most people who join legitimate We were in the middle of a pandemic and recruiting others to sell? “Well, I just don’t
MLMs make little or no money. And some the governor had declared a hard lockdown, know what you mean.”
lose money. so we said we couldn’t host a party. But Queen Is this a multilevel marketing program?
In 2020, my family got scammed. The sad Bee had other ideas. We would host a virtual “I’ve never heard that term before.”
part is we knew we were being scammed all party over Zoom. And then Queen Bee said, “Let’s do a
along and failed to stop it. “Tell her, ‘No.’ I mouthed across the room. drawing for a door prize.” My wife, God
It went like this: The mother of one of But my wife said ‘yes.’ Queen Bee seemed to bless her, said, “We aren’t drawing for the
our kids’ friends invited my wife, Joan, to a know just what buttons to push to get a mark opportunity to host another party, are we?” A
Touchstone Crystal party. We like the woman to acquiesce. look of dejection crosses Queen Bee’s face and
who invited her, and our daughters are good Then my wife came up with her own idea: she says, “Um, no.”
friends. But Joan wasn’t particularly keen on scam the scammer. We’d host a fake party. She At this point, I head to Dollar General,
the product. She’s a veterinarian and jewelry pointed at our oldest daughter, then her sister phone in hand, and ask questions as I stroll
gets snagged by the paws and claws of her and then me and said, “You will be my party down the cough medicine aisle. My inquiries
patients. guests.” must have proved too much because soon she
When she was about to attend the online Can’t we just tell her no? My wife gave was closing out the party. I signed off.
party, I rolled my eyes and said, “You know me The Look. She has trouble telling friends, As soon as I hung up, my wife bought
you’re going to be expected to buy something. acquaintances and strangers no, but with me, another piece of jewelry. I asked why and she
And it will be overpriced and likely something it’s not a problem. said, “Well, I was expected to.”
you don’t like.” On party day, we all took our phones and
She nodded her head and gave a look of computers to different parts of our house and Scott Reeder, an Illinois Times staff writer, can
resignation one might expect of someone logged on using different Zoom accounts. And be reached at sreeder@illinoistimes.com.
8 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022
OPINION
Save the Leland House summer kitchen. Donations can be made at gofundme.com Help Move the Historic Leland Sucmmer Kitchen or
by messaging Lisa Moffett through Facebook. Donations may also be mailed or dropped off at any United Community Bank location.
Creating a culture of historic preservation
GUESTWORK | Cinda Ackerman Klickna
Hats off to Lisa Moffett and Theresa O’Hare preservation? Historic Places, along with ones that have
who went into action to save the summer I turned to two historic preservation experts, already been included (Dana-Thomas House,
kitchen at the famed Leland Farmhouse even Dick Hart who was recently awarded First Hickox Apartments, Vachel Lindsay Home,
though the main house was demolished. And Citizen for his work in saving the Strawbridge- Governor’s Mansion etc.). A plan needs to be
hats off to the Springfield Park Board for seeing Shepherd House and other sites, and Michael developed to determine what can be done to
the significance of preserving a piece of history Jackson, who was preservation architect for the protect these sites.
and entering into a letter of intent to have the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency during the Is there a comprehensive Springfield city
summer kitchen placed in Washington Park, the 1987-1990 Dana-Thomas House restoration. plan? Is Leland Grove making a plan? Shouldn’t
land that once was owned by the Leland family Both said that the first need is a comprehensive the leaders be looking at the current sites that
in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is not the plan – developed by a city such as Springfield may have significance for the area and then
first time Washington Park became the new site and a village such as Leland Grove. Jackson says, create a comprehensive plan?
for historic items; in 1974 when the Carnegie “Look at Jacksonville. The city first identified My hope is that we can build an interest in
Library at Seventh and Capitol was torn their historic sites and houses and then preserving and protecting the historic structures
down, the large Classical Revival columns on developed a long-term stewardship plan for the in many parts of the city. I am encouraged that
the library’s façade were carefully removed and continual use of those historic properties.” some preservation work is occurring – the 1857
placed in the Washington Park botanical garden. The Leland home was never put on a Judge Taylor House, the John Condell house on
It is comforting to know that there are historic register, something the Village of Fourth Street that was owned by a shopkeeper
people who do care about historic preservation, Leland Grove could have pursued decades who sold to Abraham Lincoln, and the Enos
even though Springfield is often known to tear ago. Identifying historic homes, according Park area.
down instead of fix up. When the demolition to Jackson, is possible through the Historic I hope that all who embrace historic
of the Leland Farmhouse was underway, many and Architectural Resources Geographic preservation as important – and especially
drove by the site, decrying the loss of the Information System (HARGIS). This online those who lamented the loss of the Leland
historic home. Yet, when it was announced tool allows researchers to investigate and review home – will donate. The summer kitchen must
that the summer kitchen could be saved and potentially significant properties according be moved by February or it, too, will be torn
donations could be made, where were all those to the best data available. Sites can be added down.
who had been so concerned? with information provided by those interested.
Bigger questions kept nagging at me. Why A quick search of the Springfield area which Cinda Ackerman Klickna moved to Springfield
weren’t the Leland House and other historic includes Leland Grove shows many structures in the 1960s and remembers the demolition of
structures protected from demolition long ago? that have been identified as possible candidates the Orpheum Theater and has watched too many
What does it take to create a culture of historic for designation to the National Register of structures meet the same fate.
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 9
10 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022
FEATURE
Pandemics of the past
Will COVID-19 ever end?
How other pandemics started. And ended.
PUBLIC HEALTH HISTORY | Jessica Roy
This started as a story about what happens after a pandemic 2021.) Roughly 675,000 people in America died out of a
ends. population of 103.2 million, a number recently surpassed
Then the pandemic didn’t end. by COVID-19 victims of a 2020 U.S. population of
Vaccinations stalled. The delta variant fueled new waves 329.5 million. Flu vaccines wouldn’t be developed until
of infections, hospitalizations and deaths. By September, the 1930s and wouldn’t become widely available for
some states had more hospitalized COVID-19 patients than another decade.
they did during the winter surge. The economic outlook Ultimately, the virus went through a process called
for this decade has gone from “champagne-soaked” to attenuation. Basically, it got less bad. We still have
“room temperature.” In late November, the World Health descendant strains of the Spanish flu floating around
Organization announced a new “variant of concern”: omicron. today. It’s endemic, not a pandemic.
I called a meeting with my editor. I said I didn’t think it As a society, we accept a certain amount of death from
was a good time to write a story in which the premise was known diseases. The normal seasonal flu usually kills less
“this pandemic is over, now what?” than 0.1% of people who contract it. Deaths have been
The pandemic wasn’t ending. Would it ever? between 12,000 and 52,000 people in the U.S. annually
This is not humanity’s first time staring down a seemingly for the past decade.
unstoppable disease. Pandemics (a disease affecting a large The regular seasonal flu is both less contagious and
number of people in multiple countries or regions around less deadly than COVID-19. That people were washing
the world, per the World Health Organization), epidemics (a hands, working from home and socially distancing in the
disease affecting people in a country or region) and outbreaks winter 2020 flu season likely contributed to the fact that
(a sudden occurrence of an infectious disease) have plagued it was a comparably light flu season. Though business and
us throughout history. Just in the past century, we’ve survived school closures weren’t enough to stave off the devastating
a few. winter surge of COVID-19, the measures were sufficient
How did those end? And how might we get ourselves out to keep the flu at bay. One strain may have been
of this one? completely extinguished.
How it ended: Endemic
Spanish flu
How it started: Unclear, but probably not in Spain. It was Polio
a particularly deadly strain of H1N1 influenza and first How it started: The first documented polio
took root in the U.S. in Kansas. epidemic in the United States was in
The disease was so virulent and killed so many young 1894. Outbreaks occurred
people that if you heard “‘This is just ordinary influenza by throughout the first half of
another name,’ you knew that was a lie,” said John Barry, the 20th century, primarily
the author of The Great Influenza. killing children and
If the flu did hit your town, it hit hard: A young person leaving many more
could wake up in the morning feeling well and be dead 24 paralyzed.
hours later. Half the people who died of the flu in 1918
were in their 20s and 30s.
“It was a spooky time,” said Georges Benjamin,
executive director of the American Public Health
Association.
So how did we, as a species, beat the Spanish flu?
We didn’t. We survived it. It torched through individual
communities until it ran out of people to infect. A third of
the world’s population was believed to have contracted the
Spanish flu during that pandemic, and it had a case-fatality
rate of as high as 10-20% globally and 2.5% in the United
States. (Johns Hopkins University reports the COVID-19
case fatality rate in the U.S. is 1.6% as of December
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 11FEATURE
Polio reached pandemic levels by the 1940s.
There were more than 600,000 cases of polio in
the United States in the 20th century, and nearly
60,000 deaths — a case fatality rate of 9.8%. In
1952 alone, there were 57,628 reported cases of
polio resulting in 3,145 deaths.
“Polio was every mother’s scourge,” Benjamin
said. “People were afraid to death of polio.”
Polio was highly contagious: In a household
with an infected adult or child, 90% to 100%
of susceptible people would develop evidence in
their blood of also having been infected. Polio is
not spread through the air — transmission occurs
from oral-oral infection (say, sharing a drinking
glass), or by “what’s nicely called hand-fecal,” Paula
Cannon, a virology professor at the University of
Southern California Keck School of Medicine,
told me. “People poop it out, and people get it on
their hands and they make you a sandwich.”
Polio, like COVID-19, could have devastating
long-term effects even if you survived the initial
infection. President Franklin Roosevelt was among
the thousands of people who lived with permanent
paralysis from polio. Others spent weeks, years or
the rest of their lives in iron lungs.
Precautions were taken during the polio
pandemic. Schools and public pools closed. Then, First injections for children against polio, May 6, 1956. CREDIT: MONTY FRESCO JNR/TOPICAL PRESS AGENCY/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
in 1955, a miracle: a vaccine.
A two-dose course of the polio vaccine proved
to be about 90% effective — similar to the
effectiveness of our current COVID-19 vaccines.
through the centuries after it arrived here, at one vaccinated on camera. In less than one month, point where early intervention can make the virus
Vaccine technology was still relatively new, and the
point infecting half the population of the city of 6.35 million New Yorkers were vaccinated, in a completely undetectable.
polio vaccine was not without side effects. A small
Boston. We fought back by trying to infect people city of 7.8 million. The final toll of the New York “If you’re HIV positive, the HIV pandemic
number of people who got that vaccine got polio
with a weakened version of it, long before vaccines outbreak: 12 cases of smallpox, resulting in 2 never went away for you,” said Cannon, who’s
from it. Another subset of recipients developed
existed. One doctor who inoculated 287 patients deaths. spent much of her career studying the virus. She
Guillain-Barre syndrome, a noncontagious
reported only 2% of them died of smallpox, In 1959, the World Health Organization described it as a “great irony” that we identified
autoimmune disorder that can cause paralysis or
compared with a 14.8% death rate among the announced a plan to eradicate smallpox globally the cause of COVID-19 and developed a vaccine
nerve damage. A botched batch killed some of the
general population. with vaccinations. The disease was declared within a year, only to have people refuse it:
people who received it.
In 1777, George Washington ordered troops eradicated in 1980. “Anybody with HIV would tell you that the
But there were no masses of polio anti-vaxxers.
who had not already had the disease to undergo Of all the diseases our species has tackled, “the opposite is true for HIV, where despite decades
It was a “whole sense of the greater good, that
a version of inoculation in which pus from a only one we’ve ever been really successful to totally now of research, we have not been able to come up
this was the only way out of this terrible scourge,”
smallpox sore was introduced into an open cut. eradicating is smallpox,” Benjamin said. The only with vaccines that work against this shapeshifter
Cannon said. “You would have had to have been
Most people who were inoculated developed a remaining smallpox pathogens exist in laboratories. of a virus that is HIV, and people would be
a psychopathic monster to not want to be part of
mild case of smallpox, then developed natural How it ended: Vaccination desperately pleased if there were vaccines.”
the solution.”
immunity. Some died, though at a far lower rate Around 700,000 people in the U.S. have died
Benjamin said the polio vaccine campaign
became a moment of national unity: “Jonas Salk
compared with other ways of contracting the HIV/AIDS of HIV-related illnesses in the 40 years since the
disease. How it started: In 1981, the CDC announced the disease appeared. In less than two years of the
and the folks that solved the polio problem were
Edward Jenner first demonstrated the first cases of what we would later call AIDS. COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve surpassed 820,000
national heroes.”
effectiveness of his newly created smallpox Roughly half of Americans who contracted COVID-19 deaths.
By 1979, polio was eradicated in the United
vaccine in England in 1796. Vaccination spread HIV in the early 1980s died of an HIV/AIDS- How it ended: Endemic
States.
throughout the world, and deaths from smallpox related condition within two years. Deaths from
How it ended: Vaccination
became rarer over time: In a century, smallpox HIV peaked in the 1990s, with roughly 50,000 SARS
went from being responsible for 1 in 13 deaths in in 1995, and have decreased steadily since then: How it started: SARS first appeared in China in
Smallpox London to about 1 in 100. As of 2019, roughly 1.2 million Americans are 2002 before making its way to the United States
How it started: The disease had been observed
But while early vaccines reduced smallpox’s HIV-positive; there were 5,044 deaths attributed and 28 other countries.
in the Eastern Hemisphere dating to as early
power, it still existed: An outbreak hit New York to HIV that year. Severe acute respiratory syndrome — quickly
as 1157 B.C., and European colonizers first
City in 1947. It demonstrated that the vaccines The Reagan administration did not take HIV shortened to SARS in headlines and news coverage
brought smallpox to North America’s previously
were not 100% effective in everyone forever: seriously for years. Unlike COVID-19, which was — is caused by a coronavirus named SARS-CoV,
unexposed Native population in the early 1500s.
47-year-old Eugene Le Bar, the first fatality, had a quickly identified as a respiratory disease, HIV or SARS-associated coronavirus. COVID-19 is
A 2019 study suggested smallpox and other viruses
smallpox vaccine scar. Israel Weinstein, the city’s spread for years before scientists knew for sure how caused by a virus so similar that it’s called SARS-
introduced by colonizers killed as much as 90% of
health commissioner, held a news conference it was transmitted. Gay activists who encouraged CoV-2.
the indigenous population in some areas. Globally,
urging all New Yorkers to get vaccinated against their community to use condoms in the early Globally, more than 8,000 people contracted
smallpox is estimated to have killed more than 300
smallpox, whether for the first time or what we 1980s were criticized as “sex-negative.” SARS during the outbreak, and 916 died. (By
million people just in the 20th century.
would now call a “booster shot.” Today, we know how to prevent the spread of comparison, there were 10 times more cases of
Outbreaks continued in North America
The mayor and President Harry Truman got HIV, and treatments for it have progressed to the COVID-19 than that registered globally by the
12 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022end of February 2020.)
One hundred fifteen cases of SARS were
Swine flu
How it started: Both the Spanish flu and swine
suspected in the United States; only eight people flu were caused by the same type of virus:
had laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease, influenza A H1N1.
and none of them died. Ultimately, according to the CDC, there
Like COVID-19, fatality rates from SARS were about 60.8 million cases of swine flu in
were very low for young people — less than 1% the U.S. from April 2009 to April 2010, with
for people under 25 — up to a more than 50% 274,304 hospitalizations and 12,469 deaths — a
rate for people over 65. Overall, the case fatality case fatality rate of about 0.02%. So there were
rate was 11%. millions more cases of swine flu than there were
Public anxiety was widespread, including in of COVID-19 in the same time period, but a
areas unaffected by SARS. fraction of the fatalities. Eighty percent of swine
SARS and COVID-19 have a lot in common. flu deaths were in people younger than 65.
But the diseases — and the way the government It was first detected in California on
responded to them — weren’t exactly the same, April 15, 2009, and the CDC and the
said Benjamin, who worked for the CDC during Obama administration declared public health
the SARS epidemic. emergencies before the end of that month.
“There wasn’t asymptomatic spread. Early As with COVID-19, hospital visits spiked.
on we had a functional test. We had a public Hundreds of schools closed down temporarily.
health system that was in much better shape In Texas, a children’s hospital set up tents in the
than it is today. All those things went wrong parking lot to handle emergency room overflow;
this time,” he said. “And [COVID-19] turned several hospitals in North Carolina banned
out to be much more infectious, it turned out children from visiting. Hospitals near Colorado
to have asymptomatic spread. ... [In 2020] you Springs, Colorado, reported a 30% increase in
had a public health system which wasn’t ready for flu visits. Some 300,000 doses of liquid Tamiflu
prime time because it hadn’t been invested in.” for children were released from the national
Conversely, he said, the response to SARS pandemic stockpile.
was robust and immediate. The WHO issued a In the same month cases were first detected,
global alert about an unknown and severe form the CDC started identifying the virus strain for a
of pneumonia in Asia on March 12, 2003. The potential vaccine. The first flu shots with H1N1
CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center protections went into arms in October 2009.
by March 14, and issued an alert for travelers WHO declared the swine flu pandemic over
entering the U.S. from Hong Kong and parts in August 2010. But like Spanish flu, swine flu
of China the next day. Pandemic planning and never completely went away.
guidance went into effect by the end of that How it ended: Endemic
month.
In the case of SARS, the disease stopped Ebola
spreading before a vaccine or cure could be How it started: From 2014 to 2016, 28,616
created. Scientists knew another coronavirus people in West Africa had Ebola, and 11,310
could emerge that was more contagious. died — a 39.5% case fatality rate. Despite
They laid the groundwork for developing the widespread fears about it spreading here —
COVID-19 vaccines we have now. including close to 100 tweets from the man
How it ended: Died out after being controlled who would be president when the COVID-19
by public health measures pandemic began — only two people contracted
Masked doctors and nurses treat flu patients lying on cots and in outdoor tents at a hospital camp during the
influenza epidemic of 1918. CREDIT: HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES/TNS
January 13-19, 2022 | Illinois Times | 13FEATURE
Ebola on U.S. soil, and neither died. Unlike smallpox, it can jump species, infecting
So how did we escape Ebola? Unlike animals and then potentially reinfecting us.
COVID-19, Ebola isn’t transmitted in the Unlike polio, one person can unwittingly spread
air, and there’s no asymptomatic spread. It it to a room full of people, and not enough
spreads through the bodily fluids of people people are willing to get vaccinated at once to
actively experiencing symptoms, either directly stop it in its tracks. It’s less contagious than swine
or through bedding and other objects they’ve flu, and less deadly than Ebola, landing it in a
touched. If you haven’t been within 3 feet of a sort of perverse sweet spot where it infects a lot
person with Ebola, you have almost no risk of of people but doesn’t kill enough of them to run
getting it. out of victims. For many people, it’s mild enough
Part of the problem in Africa, Benjamin said, that it convinces others they don’t have to take
was that families traditionally washed the bodies the disease or precautions against it seriously. No
of the deceased, exposing themselves to infected one thought that about smallpox or Ebola.
fluids. And health care workers who treated Cannon told me if someone were designing
patients without proper protective equipment or a virus with the maximum capacity to succeed, it
awareness of heightened safety procedures were would look a lot like this coronavirus.
at risk. Once adequate equipment was delivered So what happens next? In some populations,
to affected areas and precautions were taken by enough people will get vaccinated to achieve
health care workers and families of the victims, something like herd immunity. In others, it will
the disease could be controlled. People needed to burn through the population until everyone’s had
temporarily change their behavior to respond to it, and either achieves naturally gained immunity
the public health crisis, and they did. (which confers less long-term protection than
While this particular outbreak ended in 2016, vaccination) or dies. People still die from
it’s very possible we will see another Ebola event influenza and HIV in the United States; a disease
in the future. An Ebola vaccine was approved by becoming endemic isn’t exactly a happy ending.
the FDA in 2019. Based on where we are now, “I don’t think
How it ended: Subsided after being controlled COVID-19 will ever go away,” Cannon said.
by public health measures In a perfect world, COVID-19 would
go away entirely; with that possibility almost
How will COVID end? certainly off the table, an attenuated strain that
Big picture, “pandemics end because the disease is displaces the delta variant and turns COVID-19
unable to transmit itself through people or other into an illness that rarely requires hospitalization
vectors that allow the transmission of the disease,” is perhaps the best we can hope for at this point.
Benjamin said. How it ends: A combination of vaccine- and
The most likely outcome at this point is naturally gained immunity, attenuation, availability
that COVID-19 is here to stay, he said: “I think of rapid testing, and improvements in treatment for
most people now think that it will be endemic active cases could turn it into what skeptics wrongly
for a while.” On Twitter, his colleagues in called it to begin with: a bad cold or flu.
epidemiology and public health seem to agree.
COVID-19 has a lot going for it, as far as This article is copyrighted by the Los Angeles Times
viruses go: Unlike Ebola and SARS, it can be where it was first published, and distributed by
spread by people who don’t realize they have it. Tribune Content Agency.
In Springfield 70 years ago this month, in the midst of the polio pandemic, Illinois State Register announced that
the March of Dimes drive to fight polio had raised $5,017, which would go toward the purchase of an iron lung
machine. Contributors included the stagehands union and Pillsbury Mills employes. The iron lung served as a
ventilator that helped polio victims to breathe. COURTESY SANGAMON VALLEY COLLECTION
14 | www.illinoistimes.com | January 13-19, 2022You can also read
